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Annie Ewart Hospitalized in USA for Irregular Heartbeat

by John Symon and Pasquale Salteri

August 09, 2016 – Canada’s Annie Ewart, who rides for US-based UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Women’s Team, was recently hospitalized for an irregular heartbeat. According to her social media, this is what happened:

“I was in Colorado out on a training ride on quiet roads when my heart rate just took off. Thank goodness I was with @jstarr_97 as he had to help by pushing me over 12kms to get back to cell service so I could call 911. To make a long story short, some 40 minutes later, the ambulance finally arrived and confirmed I was in “ventricular tachycardia” (240bpm) and rushed me to the hospital (lights and sirens). The doctors were waiting and they were able to shock me back into normal rhythm.

“I was then transferred over the next week to two different hospitals, underwent two heart surgeries (the second was 9.5 hours), and met dozens of different doctors and surgeons to eventually fix the extra electrical circuits in my heart. To say these past weeks have been stressful is an understatement, especially for my family.

“I will never be able to thank my family, @natebrown0707 and @jstarr_97 enough for being with me every single day at the hospital and for their positive, loving attitude. I am truly grateful for the amazing care from the doctors and surgeons in Colorado – it was unbelievable. After being told I am lucky to be alive, I am now going to cherish every single day of life even more than I ever have.” – see Ewart’s instagram post here.

We reached Ewart by telephone and she has been back with her parents for the past week. She did not respond definitely to how this affects her cycling career, but did say: “As far as I know, the problem has been fixed. But I have to have some repeat surgery to confirm this diagnosis. I am now just focussing on the next three months and hope to make a full recovery. A big thank you to UHC and to team doctor Michael Roshon. This condition also seems to be more common than many people think and it is important to know the symptoms,” said Ewart.

According to a bio posted on her blog, the 22-year-old all-rounder from Victoria BC notably distinguished herself in 2012 at the Road Nationals in Lac Megantic, Quebec. That year she finished 2nd in the U23 National Time Trial Championships; finished 3rd at the U23 Canadian Road Race Championships; and was 2nd at the Criterium Nationals and 1st among U23 riders. Ewart was also an Olympic Torch bearer on her bike for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.